BRUSSELS Former Belgian international Enzo Scifo, considered one of Belgium's all-time football greats, will end his playing career immediately on the advice of doctors, the player announced here Tuesday.

Scifo, currently player-coach at Belgian first division side Sporting Charleroi, is suffering from arthritis of the hip and would have only been able to continue playing thanks to painkilling injections, AFP reported.

"But the doctors have advised me against it, and told me it would be much better to stop playing now," Scifo told Belgian radio.

The 34-year-old Scifo, whose parents were from Sicily in Italy, won 84 caps for the "red devils", and has played 17 seasons of professional football.

Nicknamed the "Little Pele of Tivoli", he ended his international career following the 1998 World Cup in France. But not before appearing in four World Cup campaigns, and helping Belgium reach the semifinal phase in 1986 in Mexico.

He began his career at La Louviere, then moved on to Anderlecht in 1983 where he made his professional debut at the age of 17.

Taking little time to impose his talent, the following season Scifo was voted the league's top player.

Scifo then crossed the French-Italian border four times as successive moves took him to Italian giants Inter Milan with whom he failed to shine for the Tifosi before enjoying a brief but unrewarding spell with Bordeaux.

Under the wing of Guy Roux at Auxerre in 1989, Scifo refound the joys of playing before joining Italian side Torino, then returning to France with Monaco in 1993.

Having won the French league and progressed to the Champions League semifinals with Monaco, Scifo returned to his roots, and Anderlecht, with whom won four Belgian league titles, in 1997.

Scifo remains the coach, and vice president of Sporting Charleroi, who are currently seventh in the league on 25 points.